Rail systems are conventionally used to hold plate glass panels or panes (or other transparent, translucent or opaque panels) in a doorway opening or for use as a wall partition. Usually, the rail system runs along one or more edges of the panel and secures the panel at its edges. Preferably, the rail system includes an accessory channel space to hold miscellaneous door frame hardware, such as locking hardware, pivots and hardware related to hydraulic closure devices.
In many prior art rail systems, such as those typically used in the doors of shopping malls, the rail is permanently attached to the pane. Of course, this makes it difficult or impossible to remove the rail from the pane, and this is generally considered to be a disadvantage of these permanent attachment designs. Also, in these permanent attachment designs, it is conventionally the glass supplier who conventionally makes the permanent connection between the pane and the rail assembly. This means that the on-site glazier or door installer is dependent on the off-site glass supplier, which is disadvantageous, at least from the perspective of glaziers and installers.
However, FIG. 1 shows a prior art rail system 10, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,010 (herein incorporated by reference), wherein the pane can be assembled with and disassembled from the rail. More particularly, rail system 10 generally includes tempered glass door pane 11 and rail assembly 12. Rail assembly 12 defines and accommodates accessory channel space 14. Screw 16 is tightened to cause assembly 12 to clamp and thereby secure the edge of pane 11. Screw 16 is loosened to remove pane 11 from rail assembly 12. Screw 16 is tightened and loosened by accessing its head via access port 56.